Improvement in vaporizing hydrocarbons for heating



A H. H. EAMES 8L C. J. EAMES. mpmvement in Vaporizing Hydrocarbons for Heat ing, &c.

Patent'ed Oct.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EAMES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN VAPORIZ'ING HYDROCARBONS FORu HEATING, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 132,266, dated October l5, 1872;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY H. EAMES, of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, and CHARLES J. EAMES, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Apparatus for Vaporizing Hydrocarbons.

The nature of our invention consists in the construction of an apparatus that will completely vaporize the constituents of petroleum or other hydrocarbons by subjecting a continuous stream of the material to be vaporized in thin stratums upon descending alternate diaphragms, and hold under pressure the said vaporized constituents, so that they may be regulated at will. The obj ect of our invention is to obtain the vapor of petroleum or other hydrocarbons mixed with superheated steam or air, to be used more particularly for heatin g purposes and the reduction of metallic ores. We have found that when large bodies of petroleum are heated in an apparatus for this purpose only the naphtha and other very volatile constituents are'eliminated, and that, unless an extremely high temperature is attain ed, none of the more dense products will form into vapor, thereby preventing a uniform quality of dame when the vapor is consumed, and causing great loss from residuum in the vaporizing process.

Figure 1 is a vertical' section of an apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a detail View of a part of the same.

A A A are cylinders, made of metal, and may be of oblong or other than circular form, provided with metal plates or diaphragms B and anges C. (See Fig. 2.) These cylinders A are firmly bolted together, one above the other, by their iianges G, with cement packing between said lian ges, so as to form a vapor-tight chamber divided into a series of compartments, D, communicating with one another through openings d in diaphragms B, which are placed two inches (more or less) apart, and form the partitions between compartments D, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The diaphragms B may be bolted on the inside of .a 'cylinder formed of one piece, instead of the series of cylinders A, and thus form the desired vapor-.tight chamber. As to the diaphragms B or compartments D, they may be varied in number and size to suit the nature and quantity of the hydrocarbon to be vaporized. E is thepipe to convey the vapor as desired from the dome M, and e is the valve, which is operated when it is required to permit the vapor to escape. F is a pipe to convey the oil into the vaporizing-chamber from a steam-pump, f. G is a check-valve in the petroleum-supply pipe to prevent the back pressure of the vapor. H is a pressure-gage. I is a coil in which to superheat the steam used. A steam-tight jacket may be substituted for the coil77 I, in which case the steamiacket will entirely inclose the chamber for vaporizin g, forming a chamber around the vaporchamber, and ordinary steam be admitted from the top of this jacket to'pass thence down the outside of the vapor-chamber to the inlet t, the heat of the furnace surroundin g the jacket and superheating the steam therein contained. J is a pipe to draw off residuum. K is a handhole plate to clean out apparatus. L is the lower compartment of apparatus to hold residuum. M is a dome for holding vapor. N and O are iiues constructed ,to pass around the apparatus, making their exit at top. l? represents the furnace within which our apparatus is inclosed, the vapor-chamber properly secured and set over the fire.

The operation of our apparatus, when constructed substantially as above described, is as follows: Having started the fire, and the apparatus being sufficiently heated, and the pump f having supplied a continuous ilow of petroleum from the Wells to the upper compartment D through pipe F, from upper compartment D the petroleum freely ilows over the heated diaphragm B of that compartment, through the openingd in said diaphragm into the compartment next below, and so on down from the upper compartment to the lowest compartment. At this moment the steam is admitted into coil I, where it is rapidly superheated and passes from the coil into the compartment at i, and thence up through the opening d of diaphragm B, through the series of compartments D, where the petroleum is steadily flowing in diffused stratums, and in 'opposite direction to the ascending Superheated steam, which will very materially hasten the complete vaporization of the petroleum. By

means of thepressure-gage H the pressure of the vapor can be determined and regulated. The valve e to exit-pipe E is then opened and the vapor allowed to pass to the desired point of use.

Having thus fully described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, vis- 1. The method herein described for converting petroleum and other hydrocarbons into vapor, the same consisting in subjecting the hydrocarbons to the direct action of superheated steam while flowing in t stream, substantially as set forth.

2. The apparatus composed of vapor-generator and steam-superheater combined, as arran ged, substantially as set forth.

September, 1872.

HENRY H. EAMES. Witnesses: CHARLES J. EAMES.

V. C. CLAYTON, EDM. F. BROWN. 

